I’ve been creating resources to help make Benchmark more teacher + student-friendly for years now! Here is a list of everything I have made with explanations for how to use each one. I have created bundles of my most popular resources, and I have developed the MM Membership, a payment plan option where you receive some of these resources each month, broken up by unit. More information about the MM Membership can be found here.
Questions? Email me at toluca@markersandminions.com!
RESOURCE
INFORMATION
Benchmark Advance “Planned For Me”
Grades: K-5
Editions: 2017-2020 CA and National Editions and 2021/2022 Edition, Florida Edition
Format: Varies (PDF, PPT) depending on the edition
How to use: Use the lesson plans, notes, and extension ideas to guide your lesson planning. Use the anchor charts to scaffold learning for students.
Description: This resource includes all 10 units planned for you using the Markers and Minions strategies. Each unit comes with pre-filled planning templates with the lesson parts being editable. There are templates for CA, National, 2021/2022, and FL edition teachers. While planning, I took notes on the decisions that I made based on what I would do with my own class. After reading the notes, you can decide if these planning decisions work for you, too. If not, simply edit the blue boxes on the templates. Also included with the notes are extension ideas for each unit. They range from simple art activities to big projects. In addition to all of this, I have also designed anchor charts to introduce each unit.
Click on your grade level below for a free sample!
Close Reading Companions
Grades: 1-5
Editions: 2017-2020 CA and National Editions, 2021/2022 Edition, Florida Edition
Format: PDF and Google Slides
Supports: Each close read mini-lesson in Benchmark.
How to use: Use them during your whole group lessons, and students can complete them as independent practice in their workstations.
Description: Each companion page states the main standard and close reading purpose (objective), has a graphic organizer, and an “Apply It!” question that relates to the weekly texts that show what the skill looks like when assessed.
Word Work Pamphlets
Grades: 1-5
Editions: 2017-2020 CA and National Editions, 2021/2022 Edition, Florida Edition
Format: PDF and Google Slides
Supports: Spelling, vocabulary, and grammar
How to use: These are great for teaching your weekly spelling pattern and language skill on Day 1, and then the students can complete the questions as independent practice all week during centers.
Description: Foldable booklet for first grade, and tri-fold for grades 2-5. These include word sorts, grammar activities, fill-in-the-blank vocabulary, and sentence writing.
Hands-On Word Work
Grades: 1-5
Editions: 2017-2020 CA and National Editions (2021/22 + Florida Editions coming soon!)
Format: PDF
How to use: Give to students as an independent activity in workstations or send home as homework.
Description: These word work activities provide students with a variety of ways to practice playing with words. You’ll notice that the activities reinforce many of the same skills in different ways. You can differentiate by selecting pages for students based on their learning styles. Some of these activities work best as independent tasks either in class or at home, while some can be completed together in a small group setting, such as the word sorts or word riddles.
Text-Dependent Questions Bookmarks
Grades: 2-6
Editions: 2017-2020 CA and National Editions, 2021/2022 Edition, Florida Edition
Format: PDF and Google Slides, plus includes a full-page option if the bookmark is too small
How to use: These are great for independent practice/small groups. Each bookmark has 10 questions that require students to go back to the text to find evidence as answers.
Description: Handy bookmarks that go right into the student magazines, with comprehension questions for each text. These align with the Benchmark Text-Evidence Questions found under the “Practice” tab on Benchmark Universe, therefore the Answer Key for those questions works for these bookmarks.
Writing Companions
Editions: 2017-2020 CA and National Editions, 2021/2022 Edition, and Florida Edition for grades 1-5. Grades K and 6 are aligned to the CA Edition only. Also available for Benchmark Adelante for some grades.
Format: PDF (all grades) and Google Slides (grades 1-5)
Supports: Each daily writing lesson in Benchmark Advance
How to use: Use them alongside your whole group writing lessons, and then assign them as independent practice during workstation time.
Description: Foldable booklet with a page for each day’s writing lesson. The full-page option is available for grades 1-5 for students who need more writing space.
Focus Wall Posters + Word Cards
Editions: 2017-2020 CA and National Editions, 2021/2022 Edition, and Florida Edition for grades 1-5. Grades K and 6 are aligned to the CA Edition only.
Format: PDF
How to use: Display posters and word cards to help stay on track and organize each week’s lessons
Description: Posters for all of the weekly skills: close reading, spelling, language, writing, essential question, and weekly texts. Color and black & white posters. Some grade levels come with word cards for HFW, spelling, and vocabulary. Check individual product descriptions.
Grade-Level Bundles
Grades: 1-5
Editions: 2017-2020 CA and National Editions, 2021/2022 Edition, Florida Edition
Format: Mix of PDF and Google Slides (see individual product descriptions)
Description of Resources Included: The grade-level bundles include the Text-Dependent Questions Bookmarks, Word Work Pamphlets, Writing Companions, and Focus Wall Posters
Click on each resource name for a free sample!
Spelling Tests
Grades: 1-6
Editions: 2017-2020 CA and National Editions, 2021/2022 Edition, Florida Edition
Format: PDF and self-grading Google Forms Quizzes
How to use: Give to students at the end of the week to assess the spelling pattern.
Description: Traditional spelling tests require students to focus on memorization, but oftentimes, we see students forget the spelling of words when it comes to actual application in writing. This is a year-long resource that can replace your traditional spelling tests. These can also prepare students for the actual Benchmark and state tests because they help students become familiar with the types of questions. According to the CCSS, there is no specific standard for spelling. There are foundational reading standards that relate to phonics, reading, and word study. These spelling tests mostly assess spelling patterns. There are some questions that require students to pick the word spelled correctly, but most of the questions focus on choosing words that have the same vowel sound, similar syllabication, etc.
Benchmark Advance “Apply It!” Comprehension Questions – Exit Tickets + Assessments
Grades: 2-5
Editions: 2017-2020 CA and National Editions of Benchmark Advance, 2021/2022 Edition, Florida Edition
Format: PDF, Google Slides, self-grading Google Forms
How to use: Use as exit tickets each day or as end-of-week assessments.
Description: Prepare your students for assessment with these Apply It! questions from the Close Reading Companion line. This independent resource allows students to practice answering questions that are worded in the same style as Benchmark and state tests. Apply It! questions use the same texts that students are reading each week in close reading lessons while assessing the same skills and strategy as Benchmark and state tests. Please note that if you own the Close Reading Companions, these are the same questions, just in a different format.
Benchmark Advance Moring Work/Homework
Grades: 3rd
Editions: *Loosely* aligned with all editions of Benchmark Advance
Format: PDF
How to use: Assign to students as independent practice during workstations or assign as homework, early finishers, or extra practice.
Description: These Daily ELA Practice worksheets are a way for students to independently practice the reading strategies/skills being taught in your classroom. These will align with Benchmark Advance, but can also be used independently with other curriculums. The lessons are aligned with third-grade reading strategies, but they can be used as challenges or reviews based on your grade level. Each unit has 3 weeks of lessons, organized by a range of ELA skills. These can be used as homework, morning work, early finisher activities, or extra practice. Print individually or give it to students as a booklet at the start of your week.
Benchmark Advance Digital Word Work
Grades: 1-5
Editions: 2017-2020 CA and National Editions, 2021/2022 Edition, and Florida Edition
Format: Google Slides, can be converted to PPT
How to use: Assign to students as independent practice during workstations or assign as homework.
Description: This resource gives your students fun and engaging opportunities to play with words and develop strong foundational skills. Each week focuses on a different spelling pattern. The activities have students sorting words, finding the word that doesn’t belong, and solving riddles. The word sort slide asks students to sort their spelling words by spelling pattern or by the number of syllables. The “trash it!” slide asks students to analyze the three words in each set to see which one does not follow the same spelling pattern. The word riddle slides (2 per week) are the most complex. Each riddle gives clues that relate to phonics, phonemic awareness, syllabication, and morphemes.
Click on your grade level for a free sample!
High-Frequency Word Practice
Grades: K-1
Editions: 2017-2020 CA and National Editions (I believe the words are the same in the 2021/2022 and Florida Editions, too, but I’m not 100% certain!)
Format: PDF
How to use: Give to students to complete independently during workstations or as homework.
Description: This resource includes differentiated practice pages for all of the Benchmark Advance high-frequency words from all ten units. There are also checklists and fluency mats to help you assess each word! There are two versions for each word so that you can differentiate for your students.
Daily Unit Opener Questions
Grades: 2-5
Editions: 2017-2020 CA and National Editions
Format: Google Slides
How to use: Assign Google Slides and use them as a daily writing warm-up or closure activity
Description: These Daily Unit Opener Questions are perfect for getting your students to reflect on unit concepts with easy-to-answer questions. There are 5 questions for each week of the 10 units in Benchmark Advance. This is a total of 150 questions! The questions are editable, too, so if you don’t like the wording of a question… no problem! Just change it! This resource aligns with the unit topics. It requires the use of Google Slides.
Close Reading Companion Templates
Grades: 4-6
Format: PDF with fillable portions
How to use: Want to make your own Close Reading Companions? I made these for sixth-grade teachers, but they can be used in general upper elementary classrooms. For use in your own classroom; not for redistributing or reselling.
Description: There are pages for eight different close reading skills. They are not specific to any text. There are blue boxes where you as the teacher can create close reading pages to fit your students’ needs. Please know that these are only templates; they do not come with actual close reading lessons or test questions!
Projects and Writing Units that Align to Benchmark Themes
